1. Field of Invention (Technical field)
The present invention relates to apparatuses for remediation of dissolved chlorinated hydrocarbons in aquifer regions by injecting micro-fine bubbles effective for active in situ groundwater remediation for removal of dissolved chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents and dissolved hydrocarbon petroleum products. Remediation of saturated soils may also be obtained by employment of the present invention.
2. Background Prior Art
There is a well recognized need for cleanup of subsurface leachate plumes in aquifer regions and contaminated sites including, in particular, dry-cleaning establishments and U.S. Military Air bases. Applicant is aware of prior art devices that have used injection of air to facilitate biodegradation of plumes.
However there has not been shown apparatus for remediating a site in a controlled manner of poorly biodegradable organics, particularly dissolved chlorinated solvents with micro-fine bubbles including a multi-element gas oxidizing agent.
In fact the Federal Agency (EPA, KERR Environmental Laboratory, ADA, Oklahoma) responsible for review of clean-up procedures at the Marine Corp. Air Base at Yuma, Ariz. has determined that there are no prior references which disclose the use of the present invention and has ordered independent pilot tests to provide test results confirming the results previously obtained by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,159, to Billings shows injection of air into aquifer regions to encourage biodegradation of leachate plumes which contain biodegradable organics together with simultaneous soil vacuum extraction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,943, Method for Treatment of Soils Contaminated with Organic Pollutants, to Wickramanayake shows a method for treating soil contaminated by organic compounds wherein an ozone containing gas is treated with acid to increase the stability of the ozone in the soil environment and the treated ozone applied to the contaminated soil to decompose the organic compounds.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,008, Remediation Apparatus and Method for Organic Contamination in Soil and Groundwater, Wilson provides a method and apparatus for in situ treatment of soil and groundwater contaminated with organic pollutants. It involves concentration of a reactive solution required to effect treatment of the contaminated area; injecting the reactive solution into one or more injectors that are inserted into the ground, scaled and positioned so as to assure flow and allowing reactive solution to flow through the contaminated area thereby reacting chemically. Preferably, the reactive solution is an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide and metallic salts.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,755, UV-Enhanced Ozone Wastewater Treatment System, to LaCrosse, ozonated liquid is mixed within a multi-stage clarifier system with wastewater to be treated and suspended solids are removed.
However, notwithstanding the teachings of the prior art, there has not been shown apparatus for remediating a site in a controlled manner of poorly biodegradable organics, particularly dissolved chlorinated solvents with micro-fine bubbles including an encapsulated multi-element gas oxidizing agent. The present invention accomplishes this by employing microporous diffusers injecting multi-element gas bubbles containing an ozone oxidizing agent into aquifer regions to in situ strip and rapidly decompose poorly biodegradable organics or to accelerate biodegradation of leachate plumes which contain biodegradable organics which overcomes at least some of the disadvantages of prior art.